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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

This is unbelievable. The same corrupt committee that funded ads smearing decorated veterans running for office as terrorist sympathizers and the same committee that is supporting ads that play clips of Obama's former preacher is furious that the Democratic National Committe is running an ad of McCain saying that being in Iraq for 100 years is "fine with him".

This is not out of context, this is not a manipulation--this was HIS OWN WORDS in direct response to a question. It is a POWERFUL AD:

The RNC is now threatening legal action against any television station that runs this ad reminding the American people what John McSame said. Although the words and the images are powerful, it is the very last shot that is most devastating to McSame.

I am actually proud of Howard Dean. He is doing exactly what he should be doing--focusing his energy on beating McCain while Obama and HRC finish things up. And he is not afraid to play tough, a refreshing change. I have had my differences with the DNC this year, but PLEASE consider supporting this ad:

Friday, April 25, 2008

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- Some high school students in a Seminole County public school got a lesson in Islam. Outraged parents at Lake Brantley High School called Channel 9 after an Islamic group visited the classroom.

Parents say the discussion violated the separation of church and state, because, they said, the discussion touched on specific elements of Islam and the Koran. Students in one particular class at Lake Brantley High School didn't have a choice about whether they wanted to be involved.

It was just the second day of a new class at Lake Brantley High School called "Family Dynamics," but students said guest speakers were there to talk about something else.

"She said, 'Mom, three Muslim ladies came in and talked about Islam today in school,'" said parent Lisa Wagner.

Wagner's daughter was one of about 35 in the class who heard from the Academy for Learning Islam. The school district said it invited the group to talk about cultural diversity, but the conversation went beyond that.

"I just felt like it shouldn't have been available in the classroom at all. Religion should be separate from school," Wagner said.

"Would three nuns be allowed to come into a classroom and talk about Jesus and the Bible?" WFTV reporter Eric Rasmussen asked Regina Klaers with Seminole County Public Schools on Thursday.

"If those three nuns came in to talk about how their religion has affected history, yes," she said.

I would love if my child got a lesson in world religions. I wish to God that our moron-in-chief would have been briefed sometime in his life before he became president.

Seperation of Church and State does not mean that you never mention a major religion in any context. It means that you don't force kids to pray or promote a particular religious ideology.

If they were trying to promote Islamic beliefs, then that would be wrong. But I didn't get that impression from the article. I also got the impression that the parents would not have a problem if this was a Christian group.

You see Seminole, THAT is violating Seperation of Church and State. And it's downright lying too.

Hopefully, rational thought will prevail. But then I read further in the article:

Local activist groups like the United American Committee have also denounced the presentation.

Who is the United American Committee? From their website:

... a non-partisan movement of concerned Americans, promoting awareness of threats which face America from within. The UAC is dedicated to educating and awakening the nation to the current threats confronting the U.S., with the primarily focus on confronting Islamic extremism. The UAC champions the fight in the ideological aspects of the War on Terror, and brings the War on Terror to the grassroots level.

Brings the War on Terror to the grassroots level? Translation: we are too chicken to enlist and fight overseas.

So we will keep our kids safe from evil-doers by opening up a front here at places like Lake Brantley High School. I am certain those kids were contemplating going to a radical madrassa after learning what a Koran is. Thank you for protecting Freedom's Fortress again, UAC.

But rest easy, Seminole. The district is now "reviewing" its guest speaker program. This glimpse of insight will be stopped and we can keep out kids ignorant.

Next week's topic: Parents Outraged. Why won't the county allow the 10 Commandments to be displayed in school?

Monday, April 14, 2008

The president of the University of Florida, Bernie Machen, has tried for YEARS to get our state legislature to raise tuition rates. Here's a clue, Bernie. If you want more money, maybe you shouldn't blow it on things like this:

NY TIMES:

Alberto R. Gonzales, like many others recently unemployed, has discovered how difficult it can be to find a new job. Mr. Gonzales, the former attorney general, who was forced to resign last year, has been unable to interest law firms in adding his name to their roster, Washington lawyers and his associates said in recent interviews.

He has, through friends, put out inquiries, they said, and has not found any takers. What makes Mr. Gonzales’s case extraordinary is that former attorneys general, the government’s chief lawyer, are typically highly sought...

Places like Washington University in St. Louis, Ohio State University and the University of Florida have paid him about $30,000 plus expenses for appearances, and the business groups pay a bit more, said sources at the schools and elsewhere who are familiar with the arrangements. Pomona College debated inviting him and decided he was not worth the money, the college newspaper reported.

His first speech at the University of Florida last November was interrupted by protesters dressed as detainees.

Exactly what would be the benefit for Gonzales speaking to students at UF? How to be a professional suck-up? How to sacrifice integrity and independence for your boss?

Alberto Gonzales claimed he couldn't remember anything anybody ever said or did under a department he ran. SO either he was the most extreme idiot or a liar.

Before his embarrassing self-destruction, he made a career as a professional suck-up. EVERY SINGLE promotion he had ever received was from George W. Bush--who actually considered him for Supreme Court. (As much sense as a horse judge for FEMA. Thank GOD we only have a few more months of this idiot's "judgment")

For a school that wants to play top tier, I think those who made the decision to blow tens of thousands of dollars on Gonzales could work on their judgment as well.

But he is nonetheless a champion. Why? Because he is outraged that a city 2,000 miles away from us voted to close their recruiter's station. Feeney was so angry, in fact, that he spend thousands of TAXPAYER dollars to tell us how angry he is and of his solution: withhold federal money, including funds for the lunch program in their public schools. (Suck on THAT Berkeley!)

One local reporter questioned if the mailor was a good use of public funds. Feeney's response was unbelievable:

Reporter Scott Maxwell: But there are hundreds of ways to support our troops--giving them adequate equipment for battle, providing them with the services they need after the war, honoring them at ceremonies...keeping them alive. This doesn't seem like any of those things. This seems like a way to spend public money to troll for votes in a very targeted manner.

Feeney: There is nothing more important to patriotic Americans.

Maxwell: So if I think your mailer wasn't a good use of public money, I'm not a patriot?

Feeney: You apparently don't have the same respect for the people who are fighting and dying for this country.

I guess you can count me among those self-hating veterans, because I don't think it was a good use of public money either. I don't think the concept of cutting federal funding to punish a few Berkeley legislators is a smart idea either--nor a particularly good use of Feeney's time. It has no chance of passage, and I don't know if Feeney is aware of this, but we have a few issues here in Central Florida--for example, like thousands of people losing their homes!

Suzanne Kosmas, a popular former state representative, is challenging Tom Feeney this November. Despite Feeney being able to draw his own damn district, Kosmas is his first ever real opponent who is getting national Dem backing. Maybe, just maybe, the most corrupt politician in Congress might lose this election.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

We are within "arm's reach" of success according to John McCain. Just SIX more months.

Except we were told that six months ago, and six months before that, and six months before that, and so on. I was hoping someone would put together these ridiculous statements and show that nothing ever changes. Thank YOU MoveOn.org.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Despite a 10 percent cut to their state spending plan for next year, House lawmakers said Monday that a historic run of budget shortfalls might not be over. 'We are in uncharted waters,' said House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami. 'I don't think we've ever been in this place - certainly not in modern history in Florida.'"

Remind me. Which political party has been sailing Florida's ship of state for the last decade?

"The Florida House leadership presented a budget plan of $65.1 billion [Monday] and proposed an emergency stop-gap measure to head off any further shortfalls in state revenue collections. House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, and budget chief Rep. Ray Sansom said the budget fiscal 2008-09 that will be considered by Sansom's House Policy and Budget Council is almost 10 percent below the final 2007-08 budget. That budget was about $70.3 billion after some reductions forced by state revenues not keeping up with projections."

And how is this for raw political courage?:

"state lawmakers are proposing giving Gov. Charlie Crist and a handful of legislators the power to spend up to $1.7-billion in reserves to avoid a deficit."

State Lawmakers, which are overwhelmingly GOP, have to cut services, such as education and health care for the poor, and can't think of anything to do about it. REALLY??

The Florida Tax Handbook lists 246 exemptions to the sales tax, including skyboxes, tickets to the ballet, and the sales of satellites and space vehicles.

The International Game Fish Association World Center skips $1.2 million in sales taxes. The Professional Golf Hall of Fame avoids $2.4 million.

On Thursday, Senate Democrats called to eliminate a sales tax break on chartered deep-sea fishing boats, which they say could raise $65-million. Of course, if you are a regular joe, there's a tax on cane poles and fishing rods!

If you look throught the handbook, you will notice a skew towards goods and services for the wealthier set. GO figure.

Remove all 246 exemptions and the state could bring in $12.3 billion in revenue .

Those who would be affected the least pay the least but make the most. Do you really think someone who can afford to charter a boat would be broke paying a sales fee--which is the backbone of our whole stupid tax structure here?